Followers

Sunday, November 9, 2008

It is a norm today for the majority of Muslim scholars and Muslims generally to view Islam as an exclusive way of life. The need to differentiate Islam and Muslims from people from the other faiths is getting more and more pronounced. This has led to the need to draw the line clearly on what is Islamic and what is not.

The root of the problem is the general understanding and how Muslims today view the history of religions and Islam.

Contrary to Quranic hidayah (guidance), Muslims today seems to not see Islam as a long lineage of religion starting from Adam and concluding with Prophet Muhammad. Muslims today equate Islamic history with the advent of Prophet Muhammad thus making Islamic history almost synonymous with the history of the Arab people – negating all other spiritual traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, etc as emanating from the same Creator.

The Quran on the other hand suggest an all inclusive approach stressing that all religions came from Allah as He has sent messengers everywhere in the course of history; a few are named in the Quran, mainly those from the Abrahamic line while the rest are not mentioned at all. But definitely there were other messengers sent to other geographical areas like India, China, The Americas etc although the Quran strategically remain silent of any geographical areas so as to be all inclusive (Quran 4 : 164, 40 : 78, 21:25, 17:77, 43:6).

In fact, the Quran is so stern of this all inclusive approach that it decreed that any Muslim, who does not accept even one of the messengers, named or unnamed, ceased being a believer! Muslims also cannot make any distinction between any of them. (Quran 4 : 150-153, 2 : 136, 3 : 84).

Thus, to the Quran, Islam’s history is world history, not the history of the Arabs. The Quran’s version of the history of mankind started with Adam the first civilized homo-sapient (one who is endowed with the power of conceptual thoughts and language Quran 2:31) (Quran 7:70, also refer Quran 7:31, 17:70, 2:33, 2:37, 7:27 and 7: 35).

To stress this all inclusive approach further, the Quran made it very clear that Islamic and Muslim history must not be seen as starting from Prophet Muhammad as the Prophet himself was made to declare that he follows the religion of Abraham (Quran 16:123, also refer Quran 16:20, 2:135, 3:95, 4:125, and 6:61). To make it final, the Quran points out that it is Allah not Prophet Muhammad who named Muslims, Muslim; long before the birth of the Prophet (Quran 22:78). Almost all of the history books on Islam whether written by Muslims or Non- Muslims that usually record Islam with the coming of Prophet Muhammad and making the Prophet as the founder of Islam run contrary to the Quran. At best they are relating the history of the Arab people and how the Arabs impacted the world and built an empire base on their new faith, Islam. (Here is where the historian Albert Habib Hourani got it right by calling his book “A History of the Arab Peoples”).

It is this myopic view and basic assumption of Islam’s history that over the years has steered Muslims to deviate from having a universal all inclusive approach towards Islam and hence grew to be more and more exclusive rather than inclusive of all the other communities and spiritual traditions. This in turn makes Muslim society monopolistic towards God and the Heavens negating anything with a trace of other traditions and seeing them as being opposed to Islam. Consequently, since Yoga could be traced to Hinduism, it is deem as wrongful.

The Quran however ruled that all who worship in the monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques are in essence venerating Allah (Quran 22:40) and anyone who “believe, and those who follow the Jewish, and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” (Quran 2 : 62, also refer to 5 : 69). The Quran declared and confirmed all previous scriptures and dictate itself as a ‘watcher’ over them ( Quran 5:48).

Early Arab Muslims and those earlier converts since the advent of Prophet Muhammad understood this all inclusive Islam. They saw Islamic history as world history and connected their generation with all the earlier generations of Adam’s descendents, absorbing human history as theirs.

Viewing history and Islam as all inclusive, they became God’s children in true sense. They developed into universal beings. With that framework, they became free of myopic, bigoted and narrow mindedness; free to learn, borrow, modify, rejuvenate, innovate and built upon knowledge, technology and life skills from all over the world be they from the east, the west the north or the south and made them their own. Creating a civilization of excellence at a time when Europe was still slumbering in the Dark Ages.A simple example is in many Muslim’s hands: the prayer beads. Widely used long before the advent of Prophet Muhammad but modified to suit the Muslim worship. Muslims most likely learn to use beads from the Hindus and the Buddhist as they moved eastwards. You may want to do the same with Yoga :)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Apology , somehow the picture file cannot be enlarged in my earlier post and a few of you requested thru the blog and emails for a better version... anyway, this is the transcription ...

Anas Zubedy is a 32-year –old consultant in change management. He speaks Bahasa Malaysia, Hokkien, English and a smattering of Tamil.

“When i was three years old, my family shifted to Fettes park, a predominantly Chinese area in Penang.

“For years we were the only Malay family in the area and by the time I was five, I was proficient in Hokkien.

“In fact, i can say that Bahasa Malaysia is my first language, Hokkien my second followed by English. I mean, outside the house i grew up like a Chinese kid. I played with the other Chinese kid and mingled with them a lot.

“Later, i even had the chance to experience the Indian way of life. This was when i was in standard four. I become friend with a new classmate, an Indian, and being close to him, i naturally spent a great deal of time at his house. It was then that i absorbed the Indian culture.

“For example, i remember reading about Hinduism in his house. I also learn to call his grandmother pathi and, during Thaipusam, i joined in the celebration by dancing with the Indians. I practically became one of the family.

“Sometimes my mum would return to Medan (Sumatra) and that’s when his mum would cook Indian food for me.

“I was fortunate that the situation was such that it allowed me to be exposed to more than one cultural setting. I learn so much about cultures other than my own. More than that, I learn to respect them.

“There are so many benefits we can derive from this. For instance, in business we can learn to think Chinese and at home we think Malay hospitality.

“Placed in a global situation, we should fare better than homogeneous societies for we have the experience of working with various kinds of people.

“We must see multi-racial Malaysia as an opportunity for creating universally oriented men and women who would, one day, take centre-stage in leading the world.

“But in order to achieve this kind of unity, Malaysians must first understand and accept two things: First, we have to understand and appreciate the fact that the Malays gave away what they called “Malay land” (tanah Melayu) and shared it with the other ethnic groups like the Chinese and Indians, so much so that they have created a new entity called Malaysia.

“Secondly, since 1957, the non-Bumis have accepted and made this country their country. So from now onwards, whether we like it or not, a new race called Bangsa Malaysia has come into being.

“Efforts in building unity must start at the earliest age possible. Parents must ensure that their own personal biases are not filtered down to their children.“The school too plays a vital role in uniting all Malaysians. In the long run, it would be wiser and more beneficial to open all boarding schools like Mara, ITM, and Maktab Sains to all races.

“The current national school system integrates the Chinese, Tamil and Arab schools under one roof. The ideal situation would be if the national school caters to those who desire to learn their mother tongue. It would be even better if we make it compulsory for all Malaysian to learn a language other than English and their mother tongue.

“For example, a Malay student should learn either Mandarin or Tamil as a second language. I think the Malays are presently on the losing end. The Chinese or Indians know at least three languages, but most Malay knows only two.“Barisan Nasional’s efforts towards creating a single multi-racial party should be our next step. I believe most Malaysians would find it attractive if there is a direct membership to BN without having to go through UMNO, MIC or MCA. Perhaps after Wawasan 2020, UMNO can stand for United Malaysian National Organization.

“At the end of the day, the more towards national unity should come from within each and everyone of us. Every individual in this country must be aware that he or she plays a vital role. We should not unite due to political or economic reasons but because we truly desire to be one nation.

“The Muslims must also remember that the “Al-Quran preaches ummah wahidah, the concept of one single community. As this country is led by Muslims, this would be a great opportunity for them to practice this concept.”

Monday, November 3, 2008

Omar bin Sheikh Isa my late father passed away of cancer on April 10th 2003. He was 73.

I am not an UMNO man, my late father was. Many times my late father was a little upset with my politics. This usually happened when my ideas are not in line with UMNO’s politics. One such example was when I suggested that all MARA schools and ITM be opened to non-bumis too during an interview with The Star back in 1996- an idea PKR leaders like Dato Seri Anwar and Dato Khaled find currency today (refer below for the press article and my nerdy picture back then!!!).

My suggestion was not base on politics. My reasoning was and still is, opening them to all will work better for everyone not just the Malays and Bumiputeras, but also the Chinese and Indians as many Malaysians have their first real experience of knowing and sharing between races when they share a room together in campus. Taking that away from young people who will have to deal with a multi-cultural nation and business society and more so a globalize world will just delay an experience to learn about each other to years later.

While my late father was sometimes upset with my politics, he was never troubled as he knew that his son has the humanity, nation and everyone regardless of race at heart. He also knew that I valued UMNO’s position, contributions and especially in many ways the UMNO leadership. I once told him that I hope UMNO some day will be able to become United Malaysian (as opposed to Malay) National Organization and my believed that well before any other parties become truly multiracial – UMNO would.

In fact it was the members of UMNO and the Malays in large numbers who since the first election willingly voted in nonracial lines – voting Chinese and Indian leaders in MCA and MIC. Without this willingness, Chinese and especially Indian representation in government would be almost impossible. It was this same kind of people who decided in March 8th to vote the opposition including the DAP. (DAP should take note of this fact, or you may just have only one term in Penang!)

My late father also knew that I give credit when it is due and I have a heavy dose of respect to UMNO leaders, the Tunku, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein and of coz Tun Dr Mahathir - although I was rather critical of some of Tun Dr Mahathir’s actions.

My late father also knew that I am not pro or against UMNO or its leaders in toto. For example while I was critical with Tun Dr Mahathir’s handling of the judiciary, I was all for his idea of capital control and telling the IMF to screw off! While I may not agree in the way Dato Seri Anwar’s sodomy case was handled, I agree that as PM and the boss he can sack Anwar for consistently contradicting him in the nation’s policies (read here http://letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-i-think-of-anwar-ibrahim-has-not.html ).

If my late father is still alive today, he would be very concern and upset with the current attacked on the NEP and 30% Bumiputera quota by the oppositions and especially the member parties within the Barisan Nasional. He would be very dissapointed and probably even angry with those UMNO members or Malays like Zaid Ibrahim whom he will see as ' kacang lupakan kulit'. He would say something like this in Penang dialect, " Zaid ni, dia dulu jadi kaya pasai UMNO la... la ni apa dia nak bising pulak? ". He and I would have had an interesting discussion. He would have wanted to know what i think...Here are my tots... Yed (that is how we call him, Yed is the shorter version of Waled – father in Arabic.) I communicate with Yed in Penang Malay, so I hope you readers can make sense of the dialect.

About Me

Born in Penang, speaks English, Malay, Hokkien & some Tamil. Managing Director and founder of zubedy (m) sdn bhd. Graduated from University Malaya and was in marketing for a multinational before setting up zubedy in 94. www.zubedy.com

Tweets

may 13

Copyright

No part of this blog should be used for commercial purpose. Any party may reproduce or quote materials published with the condition that they are credited to letusaddvalue.blogspot.com thanks, anas

#NoFreeRides

A promise made in 2001

I intend to ADD VALUE to everyone and anything that I come to interact with and make the world a better place.

As this is an unending journey, I will never achieve my dreams … not in their fullest form. They are too far away in the idealistic world... but,

" The quest of truth will set you free, even if you never catch up with it".

I am one of those dreamers who have found a practical formula of living for today (compartmentalization) and try to achieve parts of my dreams a moment at a time, part by part. It is okay to die without achieving all the lofty dreams, as the spirit will be passed on to others, who are dreamers too.

I also plan to be rich, very rich! Not for the money but for the use of money as a platform to help me achieve my ideals. God willing, you will see advertisements in the near future communicating universal values and spirituality by ZUBEDY the Brand. (check out http://www.zubedy.com/) Encourage schools and libraries and sponsor the poor's basic needs of food, shelter and education.

I hope to live to a century or two with healthy living, modern medicine and God's permission. Lead a full life, have many children. But not necessarily sired by me. Travel the world to witness God's creation and be at awe with the creativity that greets us wherever and whenever we turn. I want to smell all the fragrance in the world be it the stink of the squatters in Mumbai or the pleasing scent of devotional flowers at a Balinese lebaran.

And to know that each experience has a purpose which is to ADD VALUE to the living, the dead and the unborn.

Children of Indonesia

Taken on the way to Puncak

Children of Bario

On the way to the only working phone line!

Children of Sabah

On the way to Mersilau

Children of Cambodia

At Angkor Thom

Children of Penang

At Pak Ali's house

Children of the zubedys

my nephews and nieces

Beautiful Women Series

One

Beautiful Women Series

Two

Beautiful Women Series

Three

Beautiful Women Series

Four

Beautiful Women Series

Five

Beautiful Women Series

Six

Let us learn about each other's religion, culture and way of life

We know too little about each other’s traditions, way of life and beliefs.

In fact many amongst us may not even know about our own spiritual traditions, scripture and core religious foundation. Most times we delegate our thinking to our religious teachers and later complain about how they go about doing their job.